Smosh Fanfic (Untitled) Chap 1
by kfiorinoshay
Summary: Emily has been living in Sacramento for almost a year now. She hasn't met the neighbors until she went gardening one day. She realizes there are two very attractive guys living in the house next to her. When she finally meets them she notices he is falling for one of them. Will Emily and Ian hit it off or will Anthony tear them apart?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter #1

I've always been one of those "keep-to-myself" neighbors. I've been living in Sacramento for almost a year now and haven't bothered to meet the neighbors. It was one of those beautiful Californian weekends when I decided to go outside and work on the garden. I put on my most unflattering clothes, my gardening gloves and headed out the backdoor. While picking the weeds I realized it hadn't rained in about a week. I stood up and headed for the front yard to get the hose when I heard laughing from the house next door. I tried to ignore it focusing on giving these dying vegetables what they desperately needed. Once again I heard the laughing. This time it couldn't be ignored. The sound was music to my ears. I glanced over to the source of the sound. Standing on the lawn were two extremely attractive guys who had to be about my age. I had to force myself to look away. What would they think of me if they saw me standing there drooling, covered in dirt, dragging a hose across the lawn. As I turned the hose on and watered the tomatoes I couldn't help but wonder about those two guys. When I was finished, I turned the hose off and headed back inside. I went back to the bedroom and turned on the shower hoping to clear my mind. How long had those guys been living there and how did I manage to not notice them before? I was going to introduce myself but how? I guess I would just wing it! When I stepped out of the shower I put on normal clothes and blow dried my hair. I opened the door and my heart started to race. I rang the doorbell and a second later one of the guys opened the door. Now I realized how good looking this guy really was. He was slightly short, light brown hair and absolutely gorgeous blue eyes. He had an unshaven face which brought out his sculpted face. "Hi," he said almost giving me a heart-attack. "Um hi…," I said looking at the ground to stop my staring. "My name's Emily and um…I live over there," I said sounding like a complete idiot. "I just moved here a few months ago but caught a bad case of the flu so I thought today would be a nice day to meet the neighbors. "Ian, who is it?" I heard a voice from inside the house. Another guy joined the first at the door. "Sorry…hi my name's Ian. Anthony, this is Emily from next door. She just moved here and wanted to meet the neighbors." "Hey ice to meet you Emily. My name's Anthony," he said shaking my hand as I studied him. He was a few inches taller than Ian. He had dark brown emo hair and brown eyes. He was probably Hispanic or Mexican. "Sorry to bother you! I guess I'll see you guys later," I said turning to leave. "Wait Emily! Before you leave um…the neighborhood is coming for a barbeque tonight. You can come…If you want I mean." I could see him blushing through screen door. "Sure! I'd love to come!" I replied. "See you tonight!" I looked to Anthony. He was trying not to laugh and grinning ear to ear at Ian. "Bye!" Ian said closing the door. As soon as it was closed I heard Anthony burst out laughing. Once I got home I went into the closet to find something for tonight. Finally I found my sky blue sun dress. That would be perfect for the barbeque! It even matched Ian's eyes! I promptly scolded myself for thinking like that. I just met him and I was already falling for him. Finally 5:00pm came around. I locked the door and headed for Ian and Anthony's house. I rang their doorbell and Ian opened the door. "Hey Emily," he said looking at the ground blushing. "Follow me! I'll introduce you to the neighbors." I followed him through the house while looking around. The house was mostly beige and surprisingly neat. There was a large flat screen in the den with a couch and a few recliners. Ian led me outside to where the barbeque was being held. Everyone paused their conversations and looked up."Hey guys!" Ian started. "This is Emily from next door. She just moved in," he explained. Everyone looked to me and smiled. "Nice to meet you Emily! Come join us over here!" called an Asian girl sitting in a circle. "Hey my names Mari! I live across the street!" "Hello," I said taking a seat next to her. "Hey Emily! How's it going?" Anthony said while leaning down and kissing Mari on the cheek. "Hi Anthony," I said trying not to sound embarrassed. "Babe not right now! You're freaking her out!" Mari said looking lovingly at Anthony. "Sorry about that," Mari apologized after Anthony had walked away. I looked around the small circle. There was a large brunette girl named Paige, an African-American girl named Tanya and there was Taylor. A mean looking blonde. After a few minutes of meeting the neighborhood Ian came around. When he handed me a plate he gazed into my eyes. He promptly blushed and hurried over to the next person. When he was gone I looked to Mari. She smiled, raised her eyebrows and shrugged. Soon, Anthony came around with a plate of hotdogs. I took one and Mari asked for a hamburger. Anthony came back with a plate that had a glob of mustard and ketchup on a bun. "Here's your hamburger Mari!" Anthony laughed. "Ew Anthony! You're gross!" Mari replied by throwing the plate back at Anthony. Soon enough the barbeque was over. I stood up ready to leave when someone took my hand. I looked up and sure enough there was Ian blushing again. "Hey can I talk to you for a second?" he asked. "Sure," I said taking his hand. He led me away from the bon-fire and towards the edge of the yard. "Hey," he said staring into my eyes. It was the longest, most full stare ever. I could feel his body and soul through his eyes. Finally, he looked away and blushed. "I uh…just wanted to tell you that um…you look stunning tonight." I looked at him and smiled. I could feel the heat of his body all around me. "Thanks Ian. You look very handsome yourself. I guess I'll see you around!" I said starting to get nervous. I turned and started to walk away when Ian grabbed my hand. He leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. I wanted more but backed away and stared at him. For a split second I stared at him and then ran back to my house. This has been an interesting day.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I was still stunned about what had happened the night before. I tried to spend my Sunday as normally as usual. After sleeping in, I got dressed and took the car for a spin. I walked into Dunkin' Donuts and ordered a coffee and a donut. I was going to enjoy today by relaxing. Something was keeping me from doing so. Why was I so tense? I sat down in my favorite chair and took a long sip of my coffee. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't take my mind of Ian. There was so much I wanted to know about him. Who was he? Why was he living with Anthony? What was it about me that he was attracted to? I needed to calm down or I would make myself sick. I realized that today was not going to be as normal as I hoped. I threw away the uneaten donut and half cup of coffee. Extra caffeine was not going to help me today. I pulled out my phone and checked my texts. One new message from Mari. She asked me to come over. I texted her back and told her I'd be there soon. I got back into the car and drove to her house. When I got there I parked in the driveway and rang the doorbell. Mari opened the door and invited me in. She led me into the blue old fashioned kitchen and offered me to sit. "So…," she started sitting down. "What happened last night," she continued smiling. "What do you mean?" I replied altogether too quickly. "Don't play dumb with me! I saw you and Ian!" she laughed. "I was upstairs with Anthony and I saw you guys through the window." "Oh G-d Mari! Did Anthony see us too?" I asked in a panic. "He's gonna embarrass Ian!" "Sorry Em! I tried to keep him away from the window but he just 'had to see' for himself!" she said mocking Anthony. "Mari! This isn't funny! Ian really sensitive! What did Anthony say when he saw us?" "Well…it's just that…Ian had a really hard time with girls. Anthony thought it was kinda funny when he saw him trying to go after a girl like you. He thought you were really 'out of his league'," she explained. "How did Ian react? When I left him?" I asked with an aching heart. "Well he was broken-hearted really," she said frowning. "G-d dammit Mari! What am I gonna do? I didn't mean to hurt him! I like him a lot! I was just nervous and excited last night!" I cried. "I don't know what to tell you Emily! You need to do what you think is right!" Mari answered. At that point I stood up starting to cry and walked out the door. There was only one place my feet would take me. Ian's house. I waited until Anthony opened the door. "Hey Emily!" he said slumping down and cracking up. "Let me in Anthony!" I demanded as I pushed through the door. "Hey! You can't just come in!" "Shut up Anthony! Where's Ian?" I screamed. "Why should I tell you?" he laughed. "Fuck you Anthony! This is all your fault!" I yelled stumbling down the hallway. I busted into the room I hoped was Ian's. He was sitting on his bed facing the wall. "Ian! Oh G-d!" I said sitting down next to him. I started to cry when he turned his head. I wiped the hot tears off his unshaven face. He jumped up with his face turning red. He suddenly looked taller than before. "Can't you see I don't want you here!" he screamed. "This fucking happens every time! Anytime I try to talk to girls this is what I get!" he yelled as he paced around the room. "Ian I'm so…," "No! You're not sorry! This isn't the first time this has happened Emily! I should just give it up! Now get out of my house!" he screamed. I ran out of the room in flames. "Good job you idiot!" Anthony laughed standing at the door. "No! What kind of friend are you hurting your friends like that!" I shrieked. "Oh speak for yourself! What kind of girl are you deserting a loner when he gives his first kiss?" he replied. I wanted to punch him in the face but I knew Mari would never forgive me. "You leave him alone!" I demanded. "Ha! Yeah right!" he laughed. "I mean it! Stay away from him!" I screamed as I ran out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Maybe Anthony was right. What kind of girl am I? I got the impression that Ian was shy from the start. Why would I do such a thing to him? No. I knew why I did it. I was excited and didn't know what to do. I've gotten kissed by guys before but this was different. It was perfect. On the cheek. Just right for a couple who had met that same day. It was almost confusing. I've gotten kissed on the lips on the first date many times before. Why did I freak out when Ian kissed me on the cheek? He was special. He was different than the others. He made me feel like a princess. How was I going to let him know I really did care about him. I wanted him. No. I needed him. I needed to get this whole thing resolved before I let him slip through my fingers. But how? Should I talk to him? He clearly stated that he didn't want me there. Or did he want me gone so he wouldn't be embarrassed in front of me? He was obviously upset about what I had done the night before. I had to gain his trust back. I sat at the table facing their house. I checked my phone. 12:45. I didn't need to leave for work until 1:30. I watched their house from out the window with my foot tapping franticly. I sat up when I saw Anthony open the door, get in his car and drive away. This was my chance. I left my house with second thoughts. What am I doing? As I climbed the front steps I saw that the door was open. I rang the doorbell and waited until I heard Ian's voice. "It's open!" he called from somewhere in the house. I quietly let myself in and peered into his room. He was listening to music and typing on his keyboard. I cautiously walked over to him and peeked over his shoulder. The document was entitled "Ode to Emily". I didn't dare read on. I slowly put my hand on his warm sweatshirt shoulder. He quickly looked up and hit escape on the keyboard. "Hey," he said half-heartedly opening up Safari. "What's up?" I asked in a whisper. "Nothing," he said trying to ignore me. "Where's Anthony?" I asked. "Work," he sighed. "Oh! Where does he work?" I asked trying to sound interested. "The skate shop in the mall." "Oh. Cool," was all I could manage. There was a long pause. Neither of us knew what to say next. "Hey…I just came to apologize," I finally said. "For what?" he said sounding annoyed. "At the barbeque and yesterday when I was over here," I replied with shame in my voice. "Whatever Emily. Let's just be friends alright?" "No Ian! Please forgive me. I didn't mean to upset you! I really do like you. I was just nervous. You made me feel so special. Like I've never felt before," I said with a fading voice. He looked at me the way he had the other night. His sparkling blue diamond's hypnotized me. I couldn't escape his gaze. I was held captive in his eyes. Those eyes had a mind of their own. He stood still looking at me. "Ok," he said almost not loud enough for me to hear. We hugged for a long time. His warmth made me never want to let go. Finally I let go. "Thank you Ian. I need to leave for work now. Please don't let Anthony get to you. You shouldn't take anymore crap from him," I said with sympathy. "See you soon," I said in a whisper leaving the room and the house.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"You're early! That a first!" exclaimed Jimmy, my boss. I worked at Kohls also in the mall. I prayed that Anthony'shift was over before or after mine. Every since my first day on the job I've had a reputation of lateness. That was really unfair. I had just moved to California and knew none of the roads! They should have cut me some slake. After my painstakingly long shift with more than my fair share of unpleasant customers, my shift was over. I went into the locker room and changed into some normal clothes. After my work day I always treated myself to a nice walk around the mall. I decided today that I would venture to the second floor other than my normal first floor stroll. I was getting tired of the same old stores and wanted to investigate some new territory. As I wondered around the mall I got a feeling that I was needed somewhere. I picked up my pace as my feet carried me through the plaza. I could not stop. Someone needed my help. My feet led me straight to the entrance of the skate shop. I could hear a lot of yelling from inside the store. As I quickly looked in I was suddenly in shock. There was Anthony, taking a massive punch into Ian's face. After the hit Ian went red. The other employees had to stop him before he went after Anthony. As he left the store he got in my face. "Stay out of this bitch!" he screamed walking out. When he was gone I came running into the store. I kneeled at Ian's side. His nose was bleeding profusely. I remember calling an ambulance and watch as the paramedics put him in as I followed. Finally we got to the Sacramento Hospital. I gave the doctors permission to do anything they needed to ensure Ian was okay. After what had been about half an hour and older couple walked into the room. They were both probably in their 60's. The woman had short gray hair, glasses and had a man with her. He looked very familiar like I had seen him in a picture. These people must be Ian's parents. I stood while fixing my shirt. I walked to where they were sitting. "Hi. You must be Ian's parents. I'm his neighbor. My name's Emily," I said shaking his mother's hand. "Nice to meet you. Do you know what happened?" she asked with worry. "Well I was just walking around the mall when I heard yelling from inside the skate shop. When I looked inside Anthony had just punched Ian square in the face!" I replied. "Oh Frank! What are we going to do?" his mother asked his father. The doctor that had taken Ian in came slowly into the waiting room. "Hello. You must be Mr. and Mrs. Hecox," he said in a soft voice. "How is my son?" his mom asked with a tear in her eye. "Ian will be just fine. Just a broken nose is all. All he needs is a few days to recover. Would you like to see him now?" he asked beckoning us into the door he had come through. He led us into a hospital room. Inside was Ian laying on one of the beds with a bandage on his nose. "Hey mom…dad…Emily," he said weakly. "Oh honey! Are you alright?" his mom asked holding his hand. "Yeah mom I'm perfectly fine," he said sitting up. "No no! Lay down!" his mom insisted. "How did this happen?" his father interrupted. His voice was much deeper than I imagined. "Uh Emily? Would you mind stepping out for a minute?" he asked. "Sure! No problem! I'll be right outside!" I said leaving the room. A few nerve wracking minutes later Ian's mother opened the door. "Ok sweetie we'll be outside if you need us." He said leading her husband out the door. I walked in and sat next to him on the bed. "Ian," I said looking at him. "What happened in the skate shop?" I asked. "Well, when you left my house I thought for awhile. I decided I wasn't gonna take anymore of Anthony's shit." Just like I said, I thought. "I only came to the shop to give Anthony a piece of my mind," he continued. "So why did he hit you?" I asked. "I guess he didn't like me doing it in front of his 'Tough Co-Workers'," He said in a tough voice. "Where do you think he went?" I asked softly. "Probably back to the house if I had a guess," he replied. "Where are you gonna go when you bet released?" I asked. "Home!" he laughed. "Come on Ian! You can't be serious? Anthony's gonna end up mauling you again!" I said sounding surprised even though I wasn't. "First of all, Anthony didn't maul me!" he said with a smile. "Trust me Em! He wouldn't try something stupid after this!" he said pointing at his nose. "Fine! I guess you know him better than me!" I said giving up. We looked at each other. I prayed that he would get better and Anthony wouldn't hurt him again. He reached out to stroke my hair. "You're beautiful…," he said quietly blushing. After a few seconds I broke the silence. "You look ridiculous with that bandage on your nose!" I laughed. "I wanna see! Take a picture!" he laughed giving me his phone. I took a picture and handed the phone back. "Oh my G-d!" he said cracking up. That was the laugh I recognized from that wonderful day. He was the love of my life and I never wanted that to change.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

A few days after the incident Ian was back and better than ever. I don't think Anthony has ever been this quiet in his life. I could come visit Ian without hearing a word out of Anthony's mouth. I finally got to go on my first real date with Ian. He took me bowling at an alley not too far from the house. He purposely tried to lose but beat me anyway. He took me to a frozen yogurt store about a block away. We ended up with more on our face then actually consumed. This was the beginning of the happiest chapter of my life. Ian was perfect for me. I guess it's true that opposites do attract. This whole relationship was becoming a cheesy romantic comedy. I never wanted to lose what we had. I learned everything about him. He worked at the grocery store downtown. He was 24 years old and his favorite food was donuts. He had a younger sister named Melissa who was in college. He also had a dog named Sparky who lived with his parents. He told me everything I needed to know about Anthony. His parents had been divorced for about 8 years. He had a younger brother named Tyler that was 13 years old. He told me that Anthony had been acting weird for so long. It started when his parents got divorced. He explained to me that when they were younger Anthony was an amazing guy. He was one of those kids that looked out for the odd ones out. They met when were in 6th Grade. Ian didn't have many friends and didn't exactly fit in. Apparently when they met, Ian changed for the better. He was a new person. The Ian that used to be shy and quiet was now an energetic outgoing young boy. I felt really bad for Anthony. I shouldn't have just jumped to conclusions about him. He was a great guy who was just going through a hard time. I was determined to meet the real Anthony. The one who shaped Ian entirely. While Ian was working his shift at the store I decided I needed to talk to Anthony. I headed to their house and rang the doorbell. Anthony opened the door. "Oh!" he said with wide eyes. "Hey Emily. Ian's at work," he said. These were the first words I had heard from him in over a week. "Hi Anthony. I actually came to talk to you. Mind if I come in for a few minutes?" I asked. "Oh yeah sure," he said letting me in. He pulled a chair over at the kitchen table and sat across from me. After a few second I broke the silence. "Look…," I said sighing. "I just came to say I'm sorry." "What do you mean?" he asked puzzled. "Well when I first met you I just…made a lot of misconceptions about you," I replied looking at my hands. Anthony turned his head looking confused. "When I first met you guys I came to the conclusion that I wasn't uh…so fond of you and uh…I just came to apologize," I continued. "Yeah so what does that have to do with anything?" He asked. "Well…uh…Ian just uh…started to tell me about you," I answered. "He was telling me about how you really saved him in middle school," I kept on. "I just wanted to say thank you for everything you've done for him and uh…apologize for thinking badly of you," I said looking at him. "Um…thanks," he said uneasily but with true gratitude in his eyes. "It's just that I've been having uh…sort of a hard time you could say," he said with hurt in his voice. "I know…Ian told me about that too," I said quietly. I looked up at him. His head was down and his lip was quivering. I watched as a single tear escaped his brown eyes. It was silent. I put my hand over his. "We're going to fix this," I promised. He looked up at me. His nose was red and his eyes were wet. "Would you like to talk about it?" I asked with barely any sound coming out of my mouth. He nodded. "My parents got divorced when I was 17. My mom couldn't bear to be with my father anymore," he explained in a whisper. "He was an alcoholic…abusive," he continued. He was crying softly. "We're gonna solve this," I replied. "We're going to forget the past and embrace the future," I explained. "We will be friends," I exclaimed. "I want to meet the real Anthony! The one Ian remembers!" I said putting my hand on his shoulder. "I miss those days," he said with his hands over his face. "Don't you see? Without you, Ian wouldn't be anything!" I exclaimed. "I know…," he said. I stood up and he followed. I hugged him. When he let go he said "I need to start with Ian. I've been awful to him. When you two first met know why I laughed?" he asked. "Jealousy…I knew you guys would hit it off. I was jealous that he would be happy. I remembered when Mari and I first met. I was so happy. I was just jealous that he would get to feel that. The feeling that I so very missed," he explained. "I understand," I replied. "Anthony, it's alright. I'll talk to him tonight. I'll let him know what you told me today. He will understand." I knew he would.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

That night I talked to Ian. He took me out to dinner and I told him what had happened. "So…what'd you do today?" he asked. "Well I came to your house actually," I replied. "Why? Did I forget to tell you I had to work today?" he asked. "No…no I knew. I came to talk to Anthony," I said smiling. "You did what?" he said dropping his fork into his spaghetti. I just smiled back at him. "Wow! What did he say?" he asked. "Well he told me what's been going on but most of all…he wanted to apologize to you. To us," I answered. "About what?" he questioned. "Well…he wanted to apologize for being so mean to you since we met. He told me that he was jealous. He was envious that you would get to be happy like he used to be. He feels awful about it," I explained. "I told him that you would understand." He nodded looking at his plate. "I do," he whispered. He looked up. "Thank you Emily. That means a lot to me. I wouldn't have been able to do that," he said quietly. After a long time he broke the silence. "You know what?" he asked. "Dinners on me!" he laughed. "You told me you were gonna pay anyway!" I giggled back. "Oh? Said who?" he said with a grin.

The next morning, Ian called me. He had talked to Anthony and Mari and we were all going to go to the amusement park! At 11:00am Ian pulled up in his blue corolla with Anthony and Mari in the back seat. I sat in the passenger seat next to him. After about 45 minutes we arrived at the gates. We bought tickets and went through the turnstiles. We decided we would first go on a roller coaster. After a lot of screaming and hugging the ride was over. After lunch it was time for the water rides! Ian and Anthony already had their swim trunks on. Mari and I had bathing suits on under our clothes. We paid for a locker to store our purses and keys in. Once we were finished we all headed toward the lazy river. Anthony, Mari, Ian and I all got into the double rafts. The guys sat in the rafts while we rested our heads on their laps. I could already see the expression on Anthony's face changing. The sad weeping Anthony I had seen a day earlier was now a bright smiling young guy. It was wonderful to see them like this. I could see why they were both such great friends. They had the same sense of humor and had their similarities and differences. I would never understand how two people could be so different yet so alike. Our ride down the lazy river was enjoyable. Watching two best friend tipping each other out of tubes and using them as bumper boats was amazing. They were the same kind of scenes you might see in a movie or on TV. Mari and I were completely dying of laughter. I don't think either of us knew we could laugh so much in our lives. Just the tone in Mari's voice made me realize how happy she was. I wondered if she knew Anthony before the divorce. Did she remember the old him? Was this it? It must have been. I was so happy for them. I was also happy for Ian. You could see how relived he was to have his old friend back. I gave myself a mental pat on the back. You did well Emily, you did well.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The next morning I woke up suddenly. I was woken up by a nightmare. In the dream I was inside a coffin getting buried alive. I must have been swatting around trying to escape because my arms were very tired. I slipped out of bed. It was the Fourth of July. This holiday had always been very close to my heart. There was nothing I liked more than barbeque, fireworks and family by your side. Ian invited me to a cook-out at his parents house. I accepted the offer. It would be my perfect opportunity to get closer with his family. After putting on my make-up and clothes I decided I should probably go make sure Ian was awake. I walked out the door. It was a nice day. Warm and windy. I let myself in. I was greeted by a chewing Anthony. "Hey Emily," he said dropping his spoon back into his bowl of cereal. "Ian's still asleep,". "Thanks I'll take care of him," I said smiling while walking into the hallway. I slowly opened his door trying not to make a lot of noise. He was slightly turned, covered in a blanket and grasping his little domo stuffed animal. I smiled to myself. He looked so adorable when he was sleeping. I almost felt bad about waking him up. I walked closer to him putting my hand out to stroke his hair. He slowly rolled over. "Hey Em," he said lazily. "Hey how'd you sleep?" I asked him quietly as I sat next to him. "Good you?" he replied. "Nightmare," I said rolling my eyes. "Tell me about it," he said sitting up. "No it was nothing," I said waving my hand. "No really. I want to know," he said again. He knew just what to say. "I was buried alive," I laughed. "How original!" he smiled flashing me with his white teeth. "Come on," I said putting a hand on his. "We don't want to be late to the the cook out," I reminded him. "Oh yeah. By the way. Is it cool with you if Mari and Anthony tag along?" he asked. "Sure why not?" I answered. "Great," he said standing up. I went over to his dresser. I opened up his drawer and pulled out a pair of jeans and a nice blue shirt. "You're wearing this," I said handing it to him. "Whatever you say little Ms. Fashion Queen!" he teased. "I'll meet you in the kitchen," I said walking out the door.

"You coming to the cook out?" I asked joining Anthony. "If you don't mind!" he replied. "No problem! The more the merrier...I actually can't believe I just said that!" I laughed. "Ian want any breakfast?" he asked. "Probably, where do you guys keep the cereal?" I asked. "In the cabinet," he said pointing. "Bowls are in the drawer over there," he pointed. After the bowl was full and on the counter Ian came out. "Breakfast?" I asked pointing to the cereal. "Thanks," he said taking a seat next to Anthony. I heard the door open. Mari walked in. "Hey guys," she said putting her purse on the couch. "Oh hey Em, didn't see you there!" she waved. "Hey you coming to the cook out?" I asked. "Sure! Ant, you coming?" she asked. "Yeah, when do we have to leave?" he asked turning to Ian. "My parents live like 25 minutes from here so I'd say in the next half an hour or so," he replied. "Alright I'll be back here in a few minutes, I just want to grab my purse and stuff," I said walking to the door. "Ok want us to pick you up?" Ian asked. "Sure why not," I said closing the door. Once all my things were gathered, Ian pulled up. I walked out and took the backseat next to Anthony because Mari was in the front seat. Why wasn't she sitting with her boyfriend? Whatever it didn't matter. I was going to have a nice Fourth of July.

We drove in an awkward silence with the radio playing softly. Not long after we hit the road, Ian pulled into a driveway. The house was small and old but had a large yard. We all unloaded from the car and started towards the door. Ian rang the doorbell. His mom opened it. They immediately embraced and he kept walking through the door. "Hey Mrs. Hecox!" Anthony said as he gave her a hug. "You remember my girlfriend Mari right?" he asked. "Of course! How could I forget a girl as beautiful as you!" she replied leaving Anthony and hugging Mari. "Oh yes and you are...Amelia right?" she asked looking at me. "Emily," I smiled. "Oh yes forgive me, we met at the hospital right?" she asked. "Yes," I nodded. "Nice to see you again." I followed Anthony through the house and into the backyard. There was Ian's father barbequeing, an array of chairs and decorations everywhere. I found Ian running around the yard with his dog. I joined him. He looked very happy to see Sparky again. I turned around to look at the door. Standing there was a small blond teenager with glasses looking towards us. Ian turned around. A large smile appeared on the girls face. She swiftly ran out of the house and towards Ian. He quickly hugged her and picked her up. "Hey Miss Liss!" he said with delight. "Hey Eeny Meeny," she quietly replied. "How you been?" he asked letting her down. "Good...," she paused focusing her gaze on me. "Who's your friend?" she asked with a giggle. "Come on," he replied taking her hand. "Em, this is my little sister Melissa," he exclaimed. "Mel, this is my...girlfriend Emily," he continued flinching at the word _girlfriend. _"Nice to meet you," she said looking down and folding her hands. After a few seconds she looked up at Ian. "I'll take to you a little later," she said walking away joining her mother. Ian joined me. "Haha sorry she's a little shy sometimes," he laughed. "That's ok. All young girls are like that," I reassured him. After a long time of eating and talking, there was a huge display of fireworks. They were beautiful. After the show I decided I would go look for Ian. "Hey Anthony you seen Ian anywhere?" I asked. "NoI haven't. Want me to help you find him?" he offered. "Sure why not," I replied. He stood up and led me to the door. We walked down the hallway to where the bathroom was. The door was open just a little bit. I stuck my hand in and opened the door. Both Anthony and I gasped and took a small step backwards. Inside was Ian and Mari kissing.

"What the fuck man?" Anthony screamed shoving his way into the bathroom. I was stunned. All I could do was cover my mouth and start backing away. I suddenly felt extremely light headed and dizzy. I heard screaming from in the bathroom. I ran outside and found Ian's dad. "You've got to get to the bathroom! There is about to be a huge fight!" I exclaimed grabbing his arm. I just stood at the end of the hallway and watched. His father yanked the two apart. He told Anthony to get out of here and take me home. He was completely infuriated. Ian kept trying to escape the bathroom to confront me but his father would not let him. Mari just sat there on the floor. Anthony stormed out. "Let's go," he said pushing me out of the way. He left the door and unlocked the car. I truly thought I might be in danger of Anthony's fast reckless anger-filled driving. Not a word passed between either of us but a few tear filled glances did. He let me out when we got to my house. "Anthony," I asked quietly. "What?" he asked hostilely. "I'm sorry," I cried. "It's alright, it's alright, it's not your fault," he replied giving me a hug. "Ok," I said wiping the tears off my face while walking towards my house. Why did this happen?


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Why? I don't understand it. I thought he loved me? Did he? Who's idea was this?Ian or Mari? I didn't want to know. I didn't care anymore. I didn't know how I would ever be able to live with him if this was his plan. What was he thinking when he kissed her. How would this effect our relationship? Anthony and Mari's relationship? I didn't want anything to do with him at the moment. I wish this would have never happened. What in the world would I do about this mess? I hoped he'd step up to the plate and take responsibility for this one. He needed to figure this out himself. It had been three days since the cook out and I hadn't heard a word from anyone. Not Ian, Anthony nor Mari. What the hell was going on around here? It was like a ghost town. This whole thing was one huge mess.

I woke up the next morning early. I sat up and to my surprise Ian was sitting at my desk chair. "He's a single man...," was the first thing I heard him say. "Get out of here!" I screamed even though I hoped he wouldn't go. "It wasn't my fault Emily," he said calmly. "Get away! You cheat on your girlfriend and just expect her to be ok with it? You just show up in her room hoping she won't be mad? You got it all wrong Ian, all wrong!" I screamed jumping out of bed. "Why don't you sit down and listen alright? I want you back Em. This wasn't my fault I'm telling you. I love you. Mari is a little bitch trying to tear everyone apart. Don't you see that? She wants you gone Em. She wants Anthony gone too," he kept going. I stood up this time. "You have some serious explaining to do," I screamed. "I'm not falling for any lies. I can see right through you Ian. One thing Ian, one freaking thing and you are gone for good alright?" "She got me drunk ok?" he yelled. "She tricked me Em and I hate her for it," he continued. "Oh and you expect me to just forgive like this?" I asked. He paused. "No," he said flat out. "But I'd like you to. I know you won't. You won't believe me no matter what I say. No matter how many times I tell you this is not my fault I know you won't believe me," he continued. There was a long pause. "Why?" was all I said. "I didn't mean to Em. She tricked me. It's incredibly easy to be tricked when you're so intoxicated." "I thought you loved me. I thought we had something," I announced. "I love you Emily. I never meant to hurt you. She's gone now. She sold her house. She's with her parents. Anthony's the one I really screwed over. Why am I such an idiot? I'm so stupid. Why did this have to happen when we had just started over?" he said pacing. I noticed him now. He looked awful. His eyes had dark rings around them. They were bloodshot. His clothes obviously hadn't been changed since the cook out. He hadn't shaved in awhile. His hair was matted and worst of all his arms. There were a few small cuts towards his wrist. I stared at them. I knew he was telling the truth. "Your arm," I whispered. He looked at me. I believe you...," I whispered. He stood up and looked at me face to face. "I love you Emily...I would never purposely hurt you. I never want to lose you again," he exclaimed. "Explain to me exactly what happened," I commanded. "Halfway through dinner Mari asked if she could talk to me. She brought me inside and told me you wanted to uh...have some fun with me tonight. I said ok and she told me I needed to get drunk. I told her no but she said it was your idea. I decided I'd do anything for you so...I did. I got drunk for you. Not for her, you. I fell asleep and I guess she brought me into the bathroom. When I woke up the light was off and she kissed me. I thought she was you Emily. When you and Anthony came in I was shocked at who was in front of me. I was so confused Em. You have no idea," he said with a fading voice. I grabbed his hand. I loved him. I did believe him. I was actually happy to here what he had to say. It felt nice to know that it wasn't intentional. He was doing it for me. He thought Mari was me. I didn't know what to say next. "You tell Anthony?" I asked. "Yeah," "He forgave me but he's really upset about her," he explained. "I'm gonna talk to him," I said standing. He didn't stop me. "Emily...I'm so sorry this had to happen. I don't want this to effect us in anyway. She's a cheating whore looking for revenge thats all...I love you," he whispered. "I know...it's just...it's going to take me awhile to gain your trust back entirely," I replied. "I understand," he said looking at his feet. "I'll go now you stay here," I told him. "Alright..." I put on a sweatshirt and a pair of sweat pants. I was in no mood to get dressed. I was hurting all over. Not only had Mari ruined my relationship with Ian and her relationship with Anthony but our friendship as well. Would we ever talk again? I walked out the door and over to their house. I let myself in not caring. "Anthony?" I called out. He walked out from around the corner. He folded his arms. "Hey," he said sighing. "You deserve better you know," I told him. "She dealt with me for so long Emily, she's the one that deserved better," he explained. "No Anthony! Thats what she wants you to think! She did this to get back at all of us and you know that," I argued. "Whatever I don't care about her anymore," "I was gonna break up with her anyway," he said with a tremor in his voice. "That's not the point Anthony! It was cruel of her to do that to you! To us! She has totally ruined our friendship! My relationship! Your relationship!" I yelled. "Whatever Emily, she can do better! I can do better! This isn't the first time something like this has happened you know! I should have left her a long time ago!" It hurt. It hurt everywhere. She had hurt everywhere and that was her plan. "Lets forget about this! You know this is what she wants! Lets get along and show her up! Lets not let this effect us alright! I'm gonna find someone for you. I have just the person in mind."

I had talked to my family a few times since the move but I hadn't bothered to keep in touch with my cousins. I knew someone who would love Anthony. My cousin Charlotte was my age. We had always been close when we were younger so why not now? She lived in Oakland, not to far from Sacramento. She'd be perfect for him. She was normal height, brown hair and gorgeous hazel eyes. She was funny, loyal and altogether a fun loving person. They just had to meet. Later that afternoon I took out my phone. I went into my contacts. There was Charlotte. I pressed call and put the phone up to my ear. "Hello?" I heard her voice on the other end. "Charlotte! I haven't talked to you in so long! It's Emily!" "Cousin Emily? Wow I haven't talked to you in forever! How are you hon?" she asked. "I'm alright I'm in Sacramento. I actually called to ask you a question." "Sure lay it on me Sweetie!" she replied. I went on to tell her all about Ian, the cook out and of course Mari and Anthony. "You're still single right?" I asked. "Yeah! I love to meet him! He sounds like a great guy!" "Oh my god thank you so much Char you're a lifesaver!" "Anything to help you with I'm here! Oh and I wouldn't mind going on a few dates either!" she laughed. "Great how about tomorrow at 6:00? You can meet us at the chinese place on Newman Ave!" "No problem Baby Cakes I'll see you there!" she exclaimed. "Thanks again Charlotte!" "Alright see you there bye!" she said hanging up.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"I got you a date," I said sitting next to Anthony at the kitchen table. "You did what?" he jumped. "I got you a date," I said elongating each word. "Emily! You know I'm not ready for that! Mari just left me! It's gonna take me awhile before I want to start dating again!" he argued. "Relax she knows," I tried to calm him. "She knows? Wow Emily you really have gone over-board this time!" he shook his head. "So...who is she?" he asked calmly. "My cousin." "Oh great! She's related to you! Ian isn't gonna like that." he said smiling. "He won't mind. I know he won't. We're really different, I promise." "Well thats good to know! I would never want to date a girl like you!" he laughed. "Tell me about her," he said a few seconds later putting his hands down on the table and staring directly at me with his deep brown eyes. He looked like an abused puppy with those eyes. This whole thing had really put him in a bad place. "Well...her name is Charlotte," I explained. "She's a really sweet girl Ant you're gonna love her!" I tried to convince him. "What does she look like?" "Is that all you care about? Anthony none of that matters but if you_ must _know, she is beautiful," I continued "Not like you I hope!" he grinned. "No she does not look anything like _me. _She is tall, brown hair and hazel eyes." "Ooh hazel huh? She sounds hot Em. Real hot. Got a picture?" he asked with a smile. "Uhhh you are ridiculous!" I said pulling out my phone and pulling up a picture. "Here," I said handing him the phone. "Oooooh she _is _pretty hot isn't she?" he said moving his hand down to his crotch. "Ew! Your disgusting!" I said standing up to leave. "_Relax _I am just kidding with you! But seriously though, I'm not sure Em. She sounds great and she is pretty hot but I don't know if I want to do this yet." "Too bad, see you tonight at the chinese place on Newman Ave!" "Are you kidding me Emily? Tonight?" he said in shock. 'Yeah! Wear something nice!" I said walking out.

I got into the driver seat of the car and Anthony got in too. We drove for a few minutes and pulled into the parking lot. I took a quick glance at Anthony. He looked around nervously wringing his hands back and forth. "You don't have to be nervous," I said calmly. "I'm not nervous," he said fidgeting. "Trust me Ant she is awesome. She deserves someone as great as you." He nodded opening the door. He was the first to the restaurant entrance and held the door for me. "Oh so you have manners now? I see," I said with a smile walking inside. As soon as I got inside I saw Charlotte sitting in the waiting room. "Hey!" I exclaimed giving her a hug. "Em! You look great! How you been? I haven't seen you in forever!" "Good!" I said pulling away. "Charlotte, this is my friend Anthony," I stepped aside so she could see him. He was blushing and was looking down. He moved his head up just enough so he could see her. "Nice to meet you," he said quietly shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you too! My name's Charlotte," she said with a smile. "Shall we eat?" I interrupted. They both nodded.

Anthony took the seat next to me and Charlotte was across from us. After we had ordered our food Charlotte was the one to start a conversation. "So...Anthony...what kind of work do you do?" "Well currently I'm working in the skate boarding shop in the mall but I wouldn't mind going back to school to take some classes on web design or something," he answered playing with his food. She nodded. "And you live near Emily?" "Yeah I actually uh...own the house next to her with uh...Ian...her boyfriend," he said quietly. She looked up at me with a _you didn't tell me that_ expression. Every few minutes I turned to look at Anthony. He kept taking small looks at Charlotte each time with a brighter redness in his face. It made me smile to see him. He obviously was liking her quite a bit. I was happy to help him once again. I took a quick look at Charlotte. She was already looking at me. "Hey Ant, Charlotte and I are just gonna go to the bathroom," I said standing up. He lifted his gaze from his plate to us. "Ok," he said nodding softly. Once we were in the bathroom I started to speak. "So? What do you think?" I asked. She smiled. "He's sweet. Sounds a little sad. The break up you think?" "Yeah nothing he won't get over though." "I like him. He's got a personality. He seems nice. Very good looking," she said smiling. "I'd love another date." "Really? Oh thanks so much Char! He likes you too." "And you know that how?" "Did you _see _how many times he blushed tonight? He falling for you and he just met you!" She nodded with embarrassment. "Ready?" I asked. "Sure."

By the end of the night I knew Anthony was sad about leaving. When I drove him home it was silent for the first few minutes. "Thanks Em," he said quietly. I looked towards him. He looked so innocent with that blank expression. "For what?" I asked looking at the road. "I like her Em. I like her a lot. Sorry I didn't want to come at first." "Anthony I know that," I said slowly. "How do you think I expected you to act? You broke up with your girlfriend three days ago and I expect you to start dating again? You must be crazy!" I said with a laugh. He nodded. "Thanks for dragging me out here." "No problem Ant. She likes you too. She asked for another date." "She did?" he asked altogether too quickly. I smiled and nodded. "I'd like another date too. I got her phone number so you don't have to come," he chuckled to himself. We pulled up to the house. Just as he was getting out I wanted to tell him one more thing. "Hey Ant before you go...I uh...just wanted to say thanks for uh...taking a chance with her. You were brave to come with me." "Thanks Em," he said closing the door and heading for the house.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The next morning I decided to call Ian. I picked up the phone. "Good morning!" I said cheerfully.

"Hey Em what's up?" he asked sleepily.

"Nothing, I was just wondering if you wanted to come over? You haven't eaten already have you?"

"Nope be right there!" he replied.

"What do you want for breakfast?"

"Surprise me!" he said hanging up. I went into the kitchen. Soon enough I was sitting at the kitchen table talking to Ian with a plate of pancakes in front of us.

"So...he told me about last night," he said pouring more syrup on his plate.

"Oh he _did _and what did he say?" I asked curiously.

"Likes her...a lot," he said with a mouthful of food.

"She likes him too. Asked for another date." He raised his eyebrows with a grin.

"When did you get promoted?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You know! To head match maker!" he laughed. I loved when he joked with me. Slowly the expression on his face began to change. He looked at his plate playing with his fork in his hand. A few silent minutes passed.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Huh? Oh nothing don't worry about it." I put my hand over his.

"Ian what happened?" I insisted. He vaguely shook his head.

"It's...Melissa. You know...my little sister. She uh...likes you and she is well...pretty angry at me from the other night." he said cutting another pancake. I nodded. I was glad someone from his family liked me.

"I could uh...talk to her for you. Take her shopping. You know like a girls day out? Reassure her that everything's alright between us?" I offered.

"Do teenage girls like that kind of stuff?" he asked.

"Of course! You're ridiculous!" I laughed.

"Thanks Em. I care about her a lot you know? I was always there for her when we were younger and I don't want her to think I'm some cheating monster like we all originally thought," he replied. I nodded. It would be nice to get to know her a little better. Give her a chance to warm up to me. She was just like her big brother. Shy at the beginning and I hope just as great later on. I looked up. He was there looking at me.

"Remember when we first met?" he asked. "And we uh...well you know. I was wondering if I could make up for uh...that and uh...what happened the other night?" he asked. I stopped. Could I really kiss him? After all he did cheat on me but I know it was an accident. I took a deep breath.

"Ian I...," I was interrupted by his lips against mine. They were warm, soft and wet. He pushed me up against the wall. I opened my mouth to breath but his tongue took it as an invitation to intrude. Slowly he pulled away. His forehead against mine.

"Emily I...I love you," he said quietly.

"I love you too," I said pulling him back in. I ran my fingers through his light brown hair and kissed him quickly. I looked down. I could see a slight bulge in his pants.

"Ian I'm sorry but I can't. Not yet," I said taking a step back. He blushed.

"I...," he shook his head. "It's alright I understand," he replied. "I'm sorry about that but uh...I can't really help it," he said innocently.

"I know," I whispered.

"I should...leave," he said picking up his wallet. I stood and watched him while he quickly stumbled out the door.


End file.
